Carriage for carrying and operating sewing-machines



(No Model.) I 2 sheets-sheet 1.

M. W. LAWRENCE. CARRIAGR FCR CARRYING AND OPERATING ,SRWINC MACHINES.

No. 482,829. Patented Sept. 20, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2. M. W.l LAWRENCE.

GARRIAGE FOR CARRYING AND OPERATING SEWINGMACHINES.

No. 482,829.` Patented Sept. 20,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELTIAH W. LAVRENCE, OF GARDINER, MAINE.

CARRIAGE-FOR CARRYING AND OPERATING SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters-Patent N0. 482,829, dated September 20, 1892.

Application filed October 28, 1891. Serial No. 410,058. (No model.)

To all whom, itl may concern:

Be it known that I, MELTIAH W. LAWRENCE, a citizen of Gardiner, in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oarriages forCarryingandOperatingSewing-Machines; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. l

Myinvention relates to an improvement in carriages for supporting and operating a sewing-machin e,its object being to provide means for supporting and operating a sewing-machine for sewing mattresses and other large bodies, which means shall be simple in construction and effectual in the performance of its functions.

A further object is to so construct a carriage and mechanism for carrying a sewingmachine that the travel of the carriage and operation of the sewing-machine shall be automatic.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the device, the platform being shown in section. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a view of a modification.

A represents the platform of the device, on which a sewing-machine of any preferred construction is located. Secured to and depending from the timbers which support the platform, at one end of the latter, are two depending legs B, to the lower ends of which brackets ct are secured. Vheels C, having grooved peripheries, are journaled in the brackets d and run upon tracks b, located on the floor of the apartment in which the device is to be used. Depending from the other end of the platform A are two brackets or hangers O C', in which a shaft c is journaled. This shaft has keyed or otherwise secured to it two wheels D E of wood or other suitable mate rial. If desired, these wheels D E maybe made of a single piece or they may be made separate and secured together in any suitable mauner. The wheel D is provided with a series of peripheral projections d, which mesh with a perforated or socketed strip e, secured to the floor, and the wheel D also serves to support one end of the carriage. The wheel E is made with a peripheral groove f for the accommodation of a strap F, which also passes over a pulley G, carried by a shaft g, mounted in the brackets or hangers C2 O2. A grooved 6o pulley G is located on the shaft g between the brackets O2 and O2. Over this pulley a strap F passes, said strap being adapted to pass through suitable openings in the platform and transmit motion to the sewing-ma- 6 5 chine located on said platform. The shaft c is extended beyond its bearing in the hangers C', as shown in Fig. 2, and provided with a drum H, on which a cord or rope h is wound. The cord or rope h is passed over a pulley t', 7o supported in a bracket fi', which latter is secured to the under side of the platform A, and to the end of the cord or rope 72, a weight j is attached.

When the machine is thus constructed, the 7 5 mattress, carpet, or other article to be sewed is placed in proximity to it and supported in a suitable manner, and a seat I is removably secured to the platform A for the accommodation of the operator. Then a mattress is 8o to be sewed up, the frame 1, which supports it, will be disposed obliquely, so as to present the edge of the mattress to the sewing-machine, and said frame will be supported by means of a support 2. When carpet is to be sewed, it will be properly matched and supported on a long board or table in close prox-x imity to the machine. The table will preferably be about four feet high, and the bracket I of the seat I will preferably be secured to 9e one end of the table or platform A and made to enter a dovetail socket on the under side of the platform, so that the seat will be somewhat below the table or platform, and said seat is so located that the platform will be properly balanced and the sewing-machine will be at the operators lefthand side. If desired, the seat may be secured to the platform by means of bolts. rlhe weightj causes the shaft c to rotate. The wheel D, carried by said shaft, roo will mesh with the perforated or socketed strip c, and thus propel the device. At the same time motion is transmitted from the wheel E to the pulley G through the medium of the strap F, and from the pulley G through the shaft g to the pulley G', and from the last-mentioned pulley through the strap F to the sewing-machine on the platform A. Thus it will be seen that the device is propelled and the sewing-machine operated automatically by the weightj. The speed of the device may be regulated by the size of the wheel D or the weighty', as desired.

Instead of making the wheel D of wood and providing it with peripheral projections a metallic gear-wheel lo may be substituted, as shown in Fig. 3, and a metallic rack-bar 7c be provided in lieu of the wooden socketed strip e. With this construction the band-Wheel E, strap F, and pulley G may be dispensed with, and in the place of the pulley G a pinion Z may be provided and adapted to meshwith' the gear-wheel 7c.

By means of a device such as above described heavy material-such as carpets, mattresses, tine-may be sewed easily, quickly, and elfectually while in astationary position,wl1ile the carriage travels automatically in proximity to it, and the machine is operated by the same devices which propel the carriage.

The device is very simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, easy to operate, and eectual in the performance of its functions.

Numerous slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a carriage and tramway, of a wheel carried by the carriage ried by said carriage and having peripheral v projections adapted to mesh with the rackbar, a cord or rope Wound upon the shaft of said wheel and carried over a pulley on the carriage, a weight secured to the free end of said cord or rope, and means for transmitting motion from said wheel to a sewing-machine on the carriage, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a carriage and a sewing-machine located thereon, of a wheel having peripheral projections, a rack-bar, with which said wheel meshes, a cord or rope wound on the shaft of said wheel and passing over a pulley on the carriage, a Weight secured to the free end of said rope or cord, a bandwheel on the same shaft with the first-mentioned wheel,a pulley carried bythe carriage, a band passing over said pulley and bandwheel, a band-Wheel carried by the same shaft with the pulley, and astrap for transmitting motion from said last-mentioned band-wheel to the sewing-machine on the carriage, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MELTIAH W. LAWRENCE.

Witnesses:

C. H. MCCAUSLAND, JOSEPH T. BARDSLEY. 

